A man that accidentally turns himself invisible and will stop at nothing to revert the process, The Invisible Man is one of the more memorable entries into the classic Universal Monsters series. Frankenstein director James Whale pools his resources well with another monster adaptation, on par with that of the monster he brought to life just two years before this. Taking on the traditional style of the Universal Monster classic, this adaptation looks to give us the same thrills and surprises as other solid entrances into the series. With Claude Rains starring as the titular villain, it’s interesting to see how The Invisible Man can turn a relatively understandable aim into a wholly evil design.
Rains’ role is solid, not quite as memorable as the monsters that were brought to us by Karloff or Lugosi, but an exceptional performer and one that gives more than a handful of memorable scenes. The opening twenty minutes were brilliant, we get to grips with the character immediately, his snowy, fully wrapped figure entering into a local tavern, the patrons recoiling in fear as the man demands a room with a fire. His curt gestures to those around him solidify him as someone without manners, or someone at the end of his tether, desperate to revert to who he once was. It’s a nice balance between the two, he borders closer to anti-hero and understandably distraught in these moments, but the way he makes himself into a villain feels rather bizarre.
Using his newfound abilities as an invisible man, he terrorises the locals, throwing their bicycles at them or hitting their hats into rivers. The occasional bit of murder drags Jack Griffin into true villainy, a moment I felt was rather underutilised and ill-explained on its initial conception. Whilst definitely enjoyable, these moments do feel odd, particularly when the only explanation Griffin has for this is the fun he has when doing it. The build-up to this mindset is absent, all we’re shown is a broken, albeit likeable character who is fuelled by rage. A lust for murder is never really present, but suddenly bubbles up to the surface for no particular reason.
The effects used to show the Invisible Man throwing around hats and bicycles, causing a nuisance and being a real terror, is genuinely quite impressive. They’re utilised rather well, not to the point where you’d feel it’s a gimmick, but a balance between plot relative moments and more showy scenes that boast the technical prowess of the film. I’m impressed by it, we see clothes walking around on their own, the silhouette of where a man should be ever slightly visible, it’s a nice touch and adds to the fear factor rather well.
The Invisible Man is certainly a classic from the vault of Universal Monster movies, one that takes pride in its effects and leading performance, but does little to develop its story in a wholly believable way. A rather forgettable ending, but the moments that precede it are a great deal of fun, as is the movie in general. Fun. Not as great as Frankenstein or as sinister as Dracula, but a definitely enjoyable piece nonetheless.
